Australia’s brightest men’s basketball prospects, including the younger brother of an NBA star, survived a double-overtime thriller to record their first victory 101-96 at the Fiba Under-19 World Cup in Switzerland.
But the game will be remembered for the unusual help that triggered the Australians’ late comeback.
Cameroonian big-man Amadou Seini – who had 15 points and 24 rebounds in a largely dominant display – received the ball from a teammate off an in-bounds underneath his own basket with his team up by six points with less than a minute left.
Rather than dribble or pass towards the other end of the court as everyone expected, the teenager jumped up and dunked it into his own basket.
The implications were plain. One Cameroon player put his hands on his head. The teammate who passed him the ball pointed to the other end. The referees converged to discuss what happened.
“It’s two points for Australia, I have never seen that in the hundreds of basketball games I have called,” the commentator said. “Whoops.”
The play immediately followed a timeout, and it appeared to be designed to get Seini free, who briefly set a screen before driving towards the basket.
The staggering brain snap from Seini – who has already played for the full national Cameroon team – allowed Australia back into a contest they would eventually win in double overtime.
Dash Daniels – younger brother of Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson – had 22 points for the Emus. “We started slow. It’s a credit to the fellas that we could fight back. It’s definitely a learning lesson that we will not start like that,” he said.
Roman Siulepa also scored 22, and Jacob Furphy added 18. Sharp-shooter Alex Dickeson had 12 points including two vital late three pointers, including one with four seconds left in regulation to tie the game.
Australia lost to the USA in their first game and now meet France in their final pool game early Wednesday morning, before the round of 16 – in which all teams take part – commences later this week.
Seini’s 24 rebounds were one shy of Andrew Bogut’s 2003 tournament record, although that feat was largely overshadowed by his blooper.
The big man has a chance to redeem himself against the unbeaten Americans in Cameroon’s final group match.